It is difficult to work out how much sugar is added to food and drinks, and therefore excess sugar is difficult to avoid despite being harmful to health, according to a report from the Royal Society. Released today, the factsheet summarises evidence on the role of sugar in health, especially in relation to diseases such […]

If we are to meet a sodium reduction target by 2025, New Zealanders will have to reduce the salt in their food by at least 30 percent, according to new research. University of Auckland researcher Dr Helen Eyles, from the National Institute for Health Innovation, said meeting international targets for sodium would need considerable effort […]

Nanomaterials currently used in food additives and packaging do not appear to pose a health risk but we will need to keep an eye on newer materials in the pipeline, reports Trans-tasman food regulator. FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) has released two reports reviewing the evidence for the safety of nanotechnologies in food packaging and […]

The Government has this week launched the public awareness campaign for the new Health Star Rating front-of-pack labelling, aiming to help consumers make healthier choices. The labels have been quietly appearing on a range of packaged food products over the last year; around 1,000 products with Health Star Ratings are now on supermarket shelves. The […]

Health-related food taxes and subsidies could improve diets and reduce deaths from diet related disease in New Zealand, according to a new study. In a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers estimated the effects of five different tax and subsidy scenarios using data on food expenses and health and showed that, for […]

Too much energy-dense food is driving the obesity epidemic in high income countries like New Zealand, say the authors of a new global study. In a study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, lead author Dr Stefanie Vandevijvere from the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland analysed increases in the […]

US and South African scientists question whether we can overcome an unhealthy diet through exercise alone. In an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the experts say they believe excess sugar and carbohydrates – not a lack of exercise – lie behind the surge in obesity. Our colleagues at the Australian and UK SMCs have […]

An outbreak of hepatitis A in Australia has been linked to imported frozen berries from China. ABC News reports that up to nine people in have become sick with the disease prompting a recall of products including mixed berries frozen pack from Nanna’s and Creative Gourmet brands. Our colleagues at the Australian SMC collected the […]

Is GM food safe to eat? Are humans responsible for climate change? Should we use animals in research? The views of scientists on these contentious questions are often very different from the public’s, according to a wide-ranging US survey, and highlight need for better dialogue. The Pew Research Center, in collaboration with the American Association […]

According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal eating a Mediterranean diet might help extend your lifespan. The diet, which has been consistently linked with health benefits including reduced mortality and a lower risk of heart disease, appears to be associated with longer telomere length – a marker for slower ageing. The […]

Register as a Journalist, Expert or Media Officer below

Latest Blog Post

Journalists around the country are getting underway on important stories ranging from driverless cars to gene editing to sea level rise this week, thanks to grants issued in the first round of the Aotearoa-New Zealand Science Journalism Fund.
Twenty applications were received for the $20,000 of funding available, with most major New Zealand media... >> Read Full Post